Ethics Commission finds that Wareham resident Donald Besso did not provide an illegal gratuity to Wareham Zoning Board of Appeals member David Boucher when Besso provided a $100 gift certificate to Boucher.

An employee of the Department of Revenue violates sections 4(a) and 4(c) of Chapter 268A by serving on a local Board of Assessors. Sections 4(a) and 4(c) prohibit a state employee from receiving compensation from or acting as agent or attorney for anyone other than the state in relation to matters of direct and substantial interest to the state. No sanctions or penalties were imposed in this case because the employee resigned from the Board of Assessors.

Construction Monitoring Services, Inc. owner James Byrne fined $2,000 for offering a ski trip to an Old Rochester Regional School District employee who oversaw Byrne's work in connection with a school construction project.

State Representative William Cass violated section 3(b) for accepting gratuities. Section 3(b) prohibits public employees, including state legislators, from accepting anything worth more than $50 which is given to them "for or because of official act ... performed or to be performed" by such employees.

An employee of the Department of Revenue violates section 4(a) and 4(c) of Chapter 268A by serving on a local Board of Assessors. Sections 4(a) and 4(c) prohibit a state employee from receiving compensation from or acting as agent or attorney for anyone other than the state in relation to matters of direct and substantial interest to the state. No sanctions or penalties were imposed in this case because the employee resigned from the Board of Assessors.

A state representative found to have violated G.L. c. 268A, section 3(b) and section 23(b)(3) for accepting gratuities and accepting a dinner for himself and his wife from lobbyists. Section 3(b) prohibits public employees, including state legislators, from accepting anything worth more than $50 which is given to them "for or because of official act ... performed or to be performed" by such employees.

In separate disposition agreements with John DeLeire, James Connery and Adam DiPasquale, three fire and police officials from Revere, and Ogden Suffolk Downs, Inc. and Northeast Theater Corporation, two corporations conducting business in Revere, the Commission ended long-standing employment arrangements that violate the conflict of interest law. According to the disposition agreements, the police and fire chiefs violated the conflict of interest law inasmuch as they were employed and paid by the private corporations to perform functions that fell within their official municipal responsibility and for which they were already paid through receipt of their government salaries.

The Commission concluded that Pittsfield Mayor James M. Ruberto and Daniel Duquette each violated G.L. c. 268A, the conflict of interest law, in connection with Duquette's sale of 2004 World Series tickets to Ruberto.

The Commission finds reasonable cause to believe that State Representative Kevin Fitzgerald and his administrative assistant, Patricia McDermott, violated the state's Conflict of Interest Law by inheriting nearly $400,000 from so-called "bag lady" Mary Guzelian, who had received services through Fitzgerald's office.

Plymouth County Sheriff Peter Y. Flynn fined $2,000 and ordered to pay $1,249.13 in restitution to a corporation formed to support his civil process-serving deputies after using a "company" credit card on personal expenses.